Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections

Can UTIs be prevented?

Yes, UTIs can be prevented in almost all cases.

When women wipe themselves after having a bowel movement, they must wipe from front to back, reducing the chances of stool touching the entrance of the urethra. The same thing must be done by caregivers if they are cleaning someone else.
After having sex, clean your genital area as the act of sex could push bacteria into the urethra.
If someone has a catheter, a tube that drains urine from the bladder, it is essential that inserting the catheter be done in as clean an environment as is possible. As well, the urethral area must be kept clean, particularly of stool.

If you have frequent UTIs, there are some steps you can take to try to reduce the number of infections you get. They include:

Drinking plenty of water every day, to help flush out your urinary tract.
Don’t hold your urine. Empty your bladder as frequently as is realistic and possible.
For women, continue the wiping from front to back and cleaning well after sex.
Also for women, some find that diaphragms increase their number of UTIs, so if you are using a diaphragm, you may want to discuss an alternate method of birth control with your healthcare provider.